H.P. Lovecraft in Popular Culture

Howard Phillips Lovecraft was born late in the 19th century, but it was not until after his death in 1937 that he became a worldwide icon of horror and supernatural fiction. Influenced largely by Lord Dunsany and Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft’s stories are known for their unique assimilation of gothic themes into science fiction. Lovecraft’s influence has stretched far beyond literary horror, as a number of his works have been adapted for feature films, television episodes, comic book tales and, in recent years, video games. This scholarly study highlights Lovecraft’s profound impact on 20th century popular culture. Early chapters introduce his complete writings, providing an annotated bibliography of the author’s horror and science fiction tales. The works are discussed in the context of the Cthulhu Mythos, an invented mythology centering on ancient and alien beings interacting with the terrestrial world. Later chapters provide a filmography of motion pictures that credit Lovecraft or are identifiably adapted from his works, as well as a discussion of the works that have been adapted for television, comic books, role-playing video games, and music. The book concludes with a close examination of the Lovecraft legacy, commenting on his specific social and metaphysical ideologies and placing the author in context among such notable literary personalities as Mary Shelley, Nathanial Hawthorne, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Don G. Smith is an associate professor in history and philosophy of education at Eastern Illinois University. He has written for numerous publications, including Filmfax, Scarlet Street, Movie Collector’s World and Midnight Marquee. He lives in Riverview Florida.

Don G. Smith
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 180
Bibliographic Info: filmography, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2006
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2091-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0400-8
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

1. The Writings of H.P. Lovecraft      7
2. The Cthulhu Mythos      25
3. Films Based on Lovecraft’s Works      39
4. Films Suggested or Influenced by Lovecraft’s Works      121
5. Lovecraft on Television      130
6. Lovecraft in Comic Books      137
7. Music Inspired by Lovecraft      146
8. Roleplaying Lovecraft      155
9. The Lovecraft Legacy      158

Selected Bibliography      167
Index      169

• “Recommended. All readers; all levels”—Choice
• “Fact-filled”—SFRA Review
• “Handy, easy-to-use reference”—Midwest Book Review